Educational Science

These eclipse-themed places will experience totality on April 8, 2024

Will you be in Shadowland, Texas, to see the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024? How about watching the lunar disk cross the solar disk from Moon Beach, New York, or glimpsing the sun's halo from Corona, Missouri? You could visit thousands of locations to experience totality in Mexico,...

Giant geomagnetic storm set to slam into Earth Monday, fueling auroras across northern US

The sun has launched a blob of plasma toward Earth that could trigger a geomagnetic storm in the planet's magnetic field, officials say. This could bring stunning aurora displays to parts of the United States, primarily northern and upper Midwest states today (Jan. 22 and Tuesday (Jan. 23), according to...

A single streak of eerily-perfect, rippling green light recently wobbled through the night sky above Iceland, interrupting an otherwise typical aurora, stunning new photos show. The extremely rare phenomenon is the result of large waves vibrating in Earth's magnetic field that are triggered by solar particles slamming into our planet....

10 solar storms that blew us away in 2023

Solar activity has kicked up a gear in 2023 as the sun nears the start of the explosive peak in its roughly 11-year solar cycle, known as the solar maximum. As a result, our home star has been spitting out abundant and powerful solar storms, as well as producing other...

April 8 solar eclipse: 4 telescopes and observatories where you can watch totality

The April 8 total solar eclipse will be the biggest astronomical event of the year. You don't need to be an astronomy enthusiast to appreciate the spectacular sky show — but, a handful of observatories on the path of the eclipse could help make your experience even more exciting. At...

Total solar eclipse April 2024: The 10 biggest cities within the path of totality

It may occur only from within a path 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and 10,000 miles (16,000 km) long, but the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, will be one of the most urban eclipses for decades. The total eclipse of the sun next April 8 will envelop many...

When is the next solar eclipse?

One of the most significant celestial events is coming to North America this spring — a total solar eclipse. Total solar eclipses are uncommon and dynamic events, resulting in one of nature's most spectacular sights. Here's everything you need to know about the next eclipse. When is the next total...

Solar storm from 1977 reveals how unprepared we are for the next 'big one'

The strength of solar storms hitting Earth can vary dramatically over short distances, with places just a few dozen miles apart experiencing very different magnetic disruptions, new research finds. This could mean that some areas are more vulnerable to large solar storms than previously appreciated, study co-author Eija Tanskanen, the...

Monstrous X5 solar flare launched on New Year's Eve could bring auroras to Earth tonight

Even the sun is not above launching a few New Year's Eve fireworks, it seems. In the final hours of Dec. 31, 2023, satellites near Earth detected a gargantuan X5-class solar flare erupting from our star — ending the year with the single most powerful solar explosion seen since 2017....

Near-simultaneous solar flares explode from opposite sides of the sun in extremely rare event

A pair of powerful solar flares recently exploded almost simultaneously from two different sunspots located on opposite hemispheres of our star. The extremely rare phenomenon, known as a sympathetic solar flare, is another reminder that we are fast approaching the explosive peak in the sun's 11-year cycle, known as the...